Change is an essential but sometimes painful aspect of life. The reason it’s essential is because it forces us to grow

Avigayil

Hi, my name is Avigayil. You’d think living next door to one of your closest friends would be the greatest thing ever, right? Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but you’re WRONG.

I’m in ninth grade. Ever since I was little, Shoshana and I have been neighbors. We’ve always gone to the same school, the same camps, even gone to the same doctors and dentists. Our families are very close, and we are very close, and I don’t just mean because we share a driveway.

There were no issues until this year when we hit high school. Obviously, we’re both attending the same school, but the student body is much larger. And believe it or not, I’ve made some new friends — friends who are not also friends with Shoshana. At school, things feel the same, because we’re always together in the same group of girls. The problem is when I want to make my own plans.

The first time Shoshana saw one of my new friends walking up my front steps, I naturally invited her to come along. I guess it was bound to happen. It’s hard to miss anything if you live six feet away from each other.

The next time it happened, I felt a small twinge of annoyance. Like, wasn’t there a concept of not hanging out with each other all the time, maybe spending time with other people for a change? But I could see no way around it. I wasn’t about to say anything and hurt Shoshana’s feelings. She is my best friend, after all, and I know she’s having a harder time fitting in at school than I am. But it’s now become a given that anytime someone comes over, Shoshana comes too, and I’m getting sick of having her around as a third wheel everywhere I go.